Novel East
Chapter 669
[A discrepancy has been corrected.]
A clear and refreshing voice echoed.
[Even if there remain other discrepancies, the logic of the world will start to align with the truth. When all falsehoods are restored, the future will come swiftly into reality.]
Unlike before, Princess Davey now had Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon in her hand instead of Caldeiras. Obviously, Davey would not fail to recognize the chilling sharpness emanating from Red Ribbon and the unique power of Blue Ribbon. However, despite the fact that some discrepancies had been corrected, there were still several differences between Princess Davey O’Rowane and him.
Davey then addressed the princess saying, "Crap. We’re here again?"
Davey frowned as he looked at Rinne.
Maybe because Rinne also noticed what happened, she narrowed her eyes and said, "Master Davey, Rinne detects anomalies in the current situation. Rinne reports that she is having an identical experience across the same timeline."
"Let's try to figure out the situation first to see if we regressed in time.”
After he was done mulling things through, Davey met her eyes. As they were identical in nature, both Davey and Princess Davey knew that their power and skill levels were the same.
Seeing her eyes filled with surprise and questions, he immediately prepared to warp through space.
"I’m Davey O’Rowane, just like you."
“I freakin’ don’t understand what’s going on right now."
"I don’t understand either. Damned Goddess Freyja, why is she making us undergo this trial?"
She didn’t say anything after his remark. But her silence didn’t last long. Her brow furrowed in irritation as she said, "What I don't get is you. You claim that you’re the real one and I’m the fake."
"My own situation is already confusing as it is. So, let's just work together for the time being. We need to figure out what is going on, don’t we?"
After hearing his suggestion, she was quick to come up with a decision. So she said, "What are you guys waiting for?! Check if there are any wounded, assess the situation, and report! You, follow me."
She briskly walked away, her skirt fluttering behind her. Meanwhile, Davey silently trailed after her.
"So, unexpected news will soon arrive from the Pallan Empire. And you’re suggesting that I should take you there?"
"Yes."
"Why should I trust you?”
"You died once."
His answer made her pause before she was able to let out a disbelieving, "What?"
"You died. That’s why I’m here. Wasn’t there a report from the Pallan Empire regarding the emergence of something corrupted? You went to investigate, and sometime after you returned to your territory, you started acting strangely. Then you died.”
Her expression hardened.
"You’re not lying?"
"Why would I lie in this situation? We’re basically in the same boat."
"You aren’t a regressor or another me from a parallel universe, and yet you’re standing here and talking to me. It means one of us is fake.”
"Probably," Davey responded.
"You’re saying that I’m fake."
"Yes."
"You bastard!"
Princess Davey quickly approached Davey and fiercely grabbed his collar from atop the table.
"I don’t know where you got it from, but you’re truly shameless. Urgh, experiencing it myself sucks.”
"Whether you cooperate with me or not is your choice. But either way, I’m seeing you for the second time, and the first time this happened, you died within a month."
For a moment, she remained quiet, seemingly mulling the words he just said to her. She then let go of his collar and said, "From my point of view, you're nothing more than a messenger sent by Goddess Freyja. I’m not sure what that hysterical spinster intends to do to make me her priestess or whatever." After saying so, she turned her back on Davey.
"My original goal was to solve this damned situation. I have many things to protect, so I can’t stay in another place for too long, away from my world."
Davey’s remark made her stop.
He then added, "But it seems I might have to keep you alive to return."
After hearing this, she turned to face Davey once again and said, "Alright. I will listen to your story at least."
‘Fate is immutable? I will prove you wrong, Goddess Freyja,’ Davey thought.
If violence wasn’t the solution, Davey could try solving the situation step by step. Even though he was yet to understand the precise cause of time reversal, it was still clear to him that after Princess Davey died—an individual who was both identical and distinct from him—things changed. The death of a being named Davey O’Rowane was the catalyst for time reversal in this looping dream-like world.
"So, you mean to say, after heading to the Pallan Empire for investigation, some problem arises, and I die? Is that what you’re trying to say?" Princess Davey asked.
"Yes."
"Ha... It's hard to call your bluff when we're on the same level..."
Princess Davey heaved a deep sigh, and just then, a boy appeared in the distance, hurrying toward them.
"Sister!! Emergency!"
The boy who had yelled as he drew near was well-built. He was wearing glasses, and his hair was a striking green.
"Baris," Davey murmured to himself upon seeing the boy.
"Sister! Something is happening in the Pallan Empire!” Baris informed urgently. Then his gaze caught the sight of Davey, and his surprise was evident. "My goodness! Sister is with a man?!"
"He's my betrothed. What do you think? Handsome, isn't he?"
"What?! Really?! Wait... We shouldn’t be worrying about the Pallan Empire! We need to report to Father and have a grand..."
"You really thought I was telling the truth? Stop right there, Baris." She sighed at Baris' peculiar manner. Then, after calming his hysterics, she proceeded to ask with a stern face, "So, what’s happening in the Pallan Empire?"
The question jolted Baris in shock, seemingly remembering the news he came to tell her.
"Ah! Sister, listen closely..." He drew nearer to her and cautiously whispered into her ear. But it seemed like he was unaware that even though he was whispering, Davey could still hear what he had to say.
The news he was telling Princess Davey was simple. It became extremely cold in the Pallan Empire’s capital for an unknown reason, and most of the capital had been buried in snow, including the royal palace. The authorities in many Pallan Empire regions sent people to the capital after learning of this oddity, but nobody who went there came back.
Her expression hardened when she heard this. "Why are you telling me about the internal affairs of the Pallan Empire?"
In reply, he murmured bitterly, "Both Princess Illyna and Prince Sullivan were in the palace, sister."
"..."
"I can clearly tell what you're thinking. Don't you need help?" Davey asked.
Davey’s words made her frown.
"Baris, leave us."
Realizing something was amiss, Baris quietly turned away and said, "Then... I'll go see Winley..."
So Winley, who should have been in the Red Tower, was here.
When Baris was gone, Princess Davey then turned to Davey and said, "Tell me in detail. What exactly happened?" 𝘯𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭𝑒𝘢𝑠𝘵.𝑐𝑜𝘮
Being the same person, he understood her very well. That was why predicting her possible actions was surprisingly easy.
***
The capital of the Pallan Empire appeared bizarre, just as Baris had described.
"Everyone who entered died without exception," Davey said.
Princess Davey moved immediately upon hearing this. But Davey, who already anticipated her movement, automatically grabbed her arm.
"Let go while I’m still talking to you nicely.”
"You should try to calm down," Davey responded.
In response, she turned around to face Davey, her expression as cold as snow. "Calm down? Are you really Davey?"
"Yes, I am. And because I'm Davey, I can clearly see what you're planning to do. That’s why I'm asking you to calm down."
"Princess Illyna and Prince Sullivan might still be alive inside."
"Are your eyes just decorations for your face?"
He reached out his hand and emitted a burst of holy power.
Ever since he arrived in this dream-like world, he sensed a peculiar flair in his power. It was enough to make him see and understand why those knights in the Holy Empire had talked about how he had a blasphemous aura.
"It's calling us."
He pointed at the Emperor’s Palace, and not at the northern spire where she had intended to go.
"..."
The two of them indeed felt a familiar power emanating from there. But the sensation was considerably different from what was typical of the Abyss.
"Let's go." She took the first step forward.
While she was the same being as Davey, there was still a crucial difference between them. This world was an irrevocable reality for her, but for Davey, it was essentially not his world. It was just a place from which he felt he could return, even in the face of failure. Such a difference in mindset was inevitable.
"Mindset difference, huh..."
"What are you doing? Aren't you coming?"
"I'm coming."
He followed calmly after her, kicking off the ground.
Whoooosh!!!
The Emperor's Palace was peaceful, but there was an unbelievably cold flurry that was swirling around and freezing everything in its path.
"Damn it," Princess Davey cursed.
Because blocking their way were the Pallan Empire’s Royal guards, who were supposed to protect the palace. But they were already emitting an aura so frigid and looking so lifeless that it was impossible to even think they were alive.
"It's too late," she muttered bitterly.
"Forget about them. There's not much time," Davey said calmly.
He drew his Blue Ribbon. But then she drew hers as well and made him stop.
"Don't interfere. Just assess the situation until the end."
She seemed to trust him to a certain extent, so he sheathed his sword.
Princess Davey went on to take a bold step forward with her skirt fluttering. She then mumbled, "I'm sorry for being late."
Her eyes flashed red, and simultaneously, the Royal Guards, who looked frozen solid yet were still seemingly moving due to some magic, began to collapse. The guards were then cut in half, but they did not die easily.
Slash!!! Slash!
At a terrifying speed, Princess Davey swiftly and sharply took down the guards. Such a display proved that she was Davey O’Rowane, a disciple of the Hall of Heroes. Still, the chill of apprehension was undeniable when she approached the royal palace in haste.
"What’s happening?"
When they reached the Emperor's Palace, they found that the entrance was obstructed by dreadful tentacles.
"What? The Pallan Empire has fallen just like this?”
"..."
If this was the future that was predestined, how was Davey supposed to confront it?
But Davey simply cast off his complicated thoughts and cut off the tentacles with Red Ribbon. This earned him a look full of surprise from Princess Davey.
"What are you doing? I get that you like tentacles probably because you're like me, but do you really have time to admire them?"
"You..."
"And, since you're not a man but a woman, isn't it a bit off to like tentacles?"
After his teasing comment, he sauntered off and entered the palace, and the sight that welcomed him was a frozen being, who wore unusual-looking armor, sitting on the throne.
"This doesn't seem like ordinary ice."
Princess Davey, grumbling as she followed, stopped in her tracks.
"Sulli...van?"
Her voice trembled. This was also unlike Davey’s reality. It was probably another discrepancy.
She approached him one step at a time with her eyes wide, as if they were about to burst. But Sullivan remained silent as he rose with a clunking sound, his eyes glowing red.
Cling...
Just then, a sinister black aura was absorbed into the blade of the sword he was holding in his hand.
Boom!!!!
With an immense booming sound unimaginable for his strength, Sullivan's sword sailed directly for Princess Davey's heart like a flash of light. But she managed to fend off his attack and put distance between them.
It was evident that she was hesitant to strike back. Meanwhile, the already corrupted Sullivan continued to attack her, as if he had every intention to kill her.
The onslaught continued, and after a while, she clenched her teeth and closed her eyes for a brief moment. She had made a decision right then and there. And in the exact moment she moved her sword, Sullivan was cleaved in half by her incredibly powerful slash.
No words were spoken, and no one broke the silence. But when she looked at Sullivan’s body on the floor, her eyes reddened, and she gritted her teeth so hard that it echoed throughout the room.
"Damn you, Thanatos."
Perhaps it was because of the emotion in her voice that Davey felt an extreme decline in his mood, despite knowing that the situation was not true and they were in a dream world.
"Let's go," said Princess Davey.
"If you go in any further, you might end up dead."
"Shut up. I'll handle my own business," she retorted as she walked past Davey.
“...”
Watching her from behind, Davey suddenly had a realization that even if he stepped in to help her, it would not change his future, because there existed only one Davey O’Rowane in reality.
Ultimately, if she did not solve the situation herself, he would not be able to do anything to resolve it if he were to confront the same situation in his world.
Loved ones passed away in front of Princess Davey, and all he could do was offer her advice.
It was a shitty experience. But that did not mean that Davey was going to give up. So if an opportunity arose, he would never let it slip by.
They left behind Sullivan’s body and headed toward the northern tower where Illyna was. Along the way, they cut down the corrupted White Bird knights, and eventually, they finally saw Illyna. She, too, was corrupted like Sullivan, and she had driven a knife into her own ghastly figure, directly to her heart.
Meanwhile, Caldeiras emitted a mournful resonance, as if lamenting its master's death.
And as Princess Davey witnessed Illyna’s death, she burst into tears and wailed in harrowing agony.
She then returned to the Heins Territory, but half of her still seemed to be at the Pallan Empire’s palace.
After that, Davey was unable to intervene. He was left with no choice but to watch the events unfold from a distance. His power in the dream world weakened, as if someone was telling him that he made the right choice of letting Princess Davey resolve the situation on her own.
‘Just watch.’
Since two Davey O’Rowane could not exist in the same world, direct interference was not possible. At least, that was what the world seemed to be telling him.
Later on, he heard an astonishing story from Princess Davey, who had been independently investigating the Royal Palace of Pallan.
It appeared that there were some Abyssal beings around—they were different from the Princesses in that their martial prowess was nothing special, but they did have some special features. One of these beings, a primordial monster named Overmind, had awoken. Of course, it had not made any direct contact with Princess Davey. But by merely waking from its slumber, it affected Perserque, who was still unable to shed the title of Queen of the Abyss.
While the Abyss didn't represent Perseque's will, her soul was Thanatos' foundation. Because of this, her power began to encroach upon Tionis, and it was beyond her control. So a choice had to be made—whether to kill Perserque or to let her live and give up on the world.
After discovering the truth, Princess Davey then asked Davey, "Can you risk the fate of the world for Perserque?"
Davey felt like he knew precisely what she was going to do. And exactly as he expected, she made a dangerous choice to save both Perserque and the entire world at that moment.
And at the end of that attempt...
“What are you? Why are you making a scene in my territory?”
It resulted in Princess Davey’s second death, and the world regressed just as Davey had predicted.
Even though it wasn’t Davey’s real world, the trial was excruciating. Sullivan passed away, and Illyna met a horrific demise, leading to another death of a Davey O’Rowane.
Davey remembered how Perserque could only scream as she watched people around her die. Now, Davey could deeply understand what she had felt back then. He also began to feel that the repetition of this world was no longer someone else's problem.
This content is taken from 𝙛𝙧𝓮𝓮𝙬𝓮𝒃𝒏𝓸𝒗𝓮𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝓶